DALLAS: GUARDS: MONTA ELLIS slides into the 2-guard spot vacated by O.J. Mayo. He should benefit from the attention Dirk Nowitzki gets and from playing alongside a pure point guard . . . JOSE CALDERON is a defensive liability, but he should have the Mavs' offense running more smoothly . . . VINCE CARTER has become one of the league's better sixth men. He'll see plenty of minutes for a team that figures to frequently play small ball . . . When healthy, DEVIN HARRIS should be the defensive side of a platoon with Calderon . . . Israeli star GAL MEKEL should be able to help at both guard spots on a part-time basis . . . WAYNE ELLINGTON has yet to prove he can do anything with second-unit minutes . . . After breaking his foot, SHANE LARKIN is looking at a redshirt year. FORWARDS: Last season was a bit of a lost season for DIRK NOWITZKI, who missed the beginning of the year after knee surgery and didn't get going until late. Health, as well as the arrival of a true point guard in Jose Calderon, should allow him to bounce back nicely . . . SHAWN MARION had a nice resurgence last season, and he should have at least one good season left as he plays for another contract . . . JAE CROWDER has a chance to establish himself as the heir apparent to Marion. He's a hustle guy right now, and whether he can be more will depend on whether he develops his jump shot . . . RICKY LEDO was a favorite NBA draft sleeper for many experts. But while the skilled wing has NBA talent, he also has a reputation for being a bad seed. Ledo is almost certainly headed to the D-League for now. CENTERS: SAMUEL DALEMBERT is a sad consolation prize in the Dwight Howard derby. He'll likely step in as a starter . . . BRANDAN WRIGHT has never been able to overcome injuries. He could end up splitting time with Dalembert . . . DEJUAN BLAIR will provide energy and offense at the four and five . . . BERNARD JAMES should continue to develop as a rim protector.

TORONTO: GUARDS: KYLE LOWRY was banged up last season, but he enters this year healthy and has the potential to be one of the league's best two-way point guards . . . DEMAR DEROZAN does a nice job attacking, but he's a flawed player unless he develops a jump shot . . . The Raptors want TERRENCE ROSS to attack the basket more often. But whether he develops a three-point shot could determine where he fits into this rotation . . . After a disastrous season in Indiana, D.J. AUGUSTIN will have to earn his rotation spot. Toronto could use his shooting, though . . . DWIGHT BUYCKS comes back from Europe to back up Lowry . . . Versatile JULYAN STONE is an interesting bit piece, as he reunites with GM Masai Ujiri, who brought him to Denver. FORWARDS: Despite all that talent, RUDY GAY's poor shot selection and disinterested defense will have him on the trading block . . . AMIR JOHNSON will get another chance at full-time minutes. Despite some inconsistency, he still has the upside to be a good rebounder and shot-blocker . . . TYLER HANSBROUGH brings toughness and a decent mid-range jumper. He's a second-unit talent, but could challenge Johnson for minutes . . . LANDRY FIELDS is a well-compensated reserve . . . STEVE NOVAK gives them a legitimate shooter among the second unit . . . Toronto will try to shake some of that upside out of AUSTIN DAYE . . . QUINCY ACY will move to the three, likely making this a redshirt year. CENTERS: JONAS VALANCIUNAS is set to become Toronto's new centerpiece. Talented enough for them to run the offense through him, he's rapidly improving on both ends of the court . . . AARON GRAY will stick around as a decent back-up, a 7-footer who can get in the way defensively.

The Dallas Mavericks have one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the NBA thanks in large part to the steady play of Jose Calderon.

Calderon was greeted warmly in his first return to Toronto, but the receptions have been different for Vince Carter when he's gone back north.

Carter has also been efficient with the basketball and Wednesday night's contest figures to be one of his final games in Toronto as the Mavericks continue a three-game trip.

Dallas (25-18) is third in the NBA with a 1.72 assist-to-turnover mark behind Calderon, who's second in that category at 3.98. The Spanish guard was a popular player while spending more than seven seasons with the Raptors (20-20) before being traded to Detroit on Jan. 30.

Calderon had 19 points and nine assists in his first game back, a 108-98 victory with the Pistons on April 1. He was honored with a standing ovation during pregame introductions and a special video tribute during a first-quarter timeout.

That's in stark contrast to how Carter has been treated in his visits to face the team with which he spent his first six-plus seasons. This will mark his 13th regular-season game as a visitor in Toronto, where he's been booed repeatedly since the days when he was dubbed 'Air Canada' for his high-flying exploits.

Carter turns 37 on Sunday, although this may not be his final season. He's been solid as the Mavericks' fifth-leading scorer with 11.2 points per game while ranking third with a 1.89 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Toronto fans who still have a vendetta against Carter were happy the last time these teams met, as he was held scoreless with a season-high six turnovers in the Mavs' 109-108 overtime home loss Dec. 20. Calderon had 23 points, nine assists and one turnover.

That contest was the Raptors' fourth since the majority of the players acquired from Sacramento in the Rudy Gay deal Dec. 9 made their team debuts.

Toronto has lost five of nine since a 9-2 stretch, falling 100-95 at Charlotte on Monday. DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points for the Raptors, who will try to avoid their first three-game slide since the trade.

"Right now, we have a bunch of guys who are giving into fatigue and nicked up," coach Dwane Casey said. "It's a long season, but, again, you tell a lot about who you are in these situations."

These teams have split four meetings since Casey took over in Toronto in 2011-12 after serving as Rick Carlisle's assistant with the Mavs for three seasons.

Dallas improved to 11-4 against Eastern Conference teams with a 102-97 win at Cleveland on Monday. Monta Ellis had 22 points and eight assists as Dallas built a 24-point lead before holding on.

"We have seen this whole year that this league is getting closer and closer talent-wise," Ellis told the Mavs' official website. "If you have a lead, you have to work at it. It doesn't matter who you play, everybody is going to be right there."

Ellis had 21 points and 11 assists in the last meeting with Toronto. He averages 10.2 drives to the basket and was credited with 17 in that matchup.